According to a new poll from Public Policy Polling (see memo below), Virginians strongly support Medicaid expansion. As usual, the supposedly “liberal” position is actually the MAJORITY position. Funny how that works, huh?

As the Virginia General Assembly convenes this week to consider expanding Medicaid, Public Policy Polling conducted a statewide poll of Virginia voters. The poll found overwhelming support for expanding Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians and even found support among self-identified Republicans. The poll surveyed 607 Virginians between March 30 and 31st.

In addition, the polling found that two new facts had an important impact on voters: (1) That federal funding for the Affordable Care Act appears certain now that Congress has rejected its repeal bill; (2) That Governor McAuliffe negotiated with Virginia hospitals to pay the state portion of the expansion. Here’s a look at the findings:

● Even Republican voters are evenly split on expanding Medicaid (40% to 42%).

● Only 18% of voters – and only 33% of Trump voters – think that the General Assembly should reject Governor McAuliffe’s medicaid expansion proposal now that it can be done without “any money from state government.”

● After hearing some arguments in support of expansion, the support from Virginians grows to 46 points (68% to 22%)

● In Republican-held delegate districts that voted for Clinton in 2016, an overwhelming percentage of voters (63% to 26%) support expansion. Independent voters in those districts also strongly support expansion (57% to 23%).

Virginians find arguments in support of expanding Medicaid compelling, especially the latest news about Congress dropping their plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

● A majority – 53% – is more likely to support Medicaid expansion now that Congress rejected repeal of the Affordable Care Act and Virginians can count on the federal funding to remain in place.

● 44 percent of independent voters are more likely to support expansion now that Congress has rejected their health care repeal bill.

There is no doubt that the people of Virginia want Medicaid expanded and there is no longer any commonsense reason to oppose it. The only reasons that remain to oppose it are the type of ideological purity tests that Virginians reject.

● Only 28% oppose expansion in order to “send a message to the country” about Obamacare and only 29% believe it should be “opposed out of principle even if it’s the law of the land.”

P.S. Also from this poll, only 35% of Virginians approve of Trump’s performance, while 55% disapprove. Amazing that even 35% could approve of this corrupt, treasonous, incompetent buffoon. Still, the fact that Trump’s MINUS 20 in Virginia does not bode well for Virginia Republicans this November (or next November), and that’s good news at least…